Arvin, Newton, 1900 - 1963.

Abstract Hicks was a literary critic, novelist and teacher (1901-1982). Arvin (1900-1963) was also educated at Harvard University and taught at Smith College from 1922-1960. He specialized in 19th century American literature. The collection contains Hicks's correspondence to Arvin, 1928-1962, as well as Arvin's correspondence (photocopies) to Hicks, 1929-1963, that are on deposit in the Syracuse University Library. In addition there is a photocopy of Arvin's unfinished memoirs of his youth...

Abstract

Faculty. Professor of English Language and Literature from 1922 - 1960. Arrested in 1959 on charges of moral turpitude for possesing pictures of male models that were considered pornographic, he pled guilty to the charges and was retired from Smith College by the Board of Trustees in 1960.

Abstract Frederick Newton Arvin, Jr. was an English professor at Smith and one of the foremost literary biographers in American literature. He was elected to the board of directors of Yaddo—the writers' and artists’ colony in Saratoga Springs, NY—in 1939. He received the National Book Award in 1951 for his Melville biography; in 1952 he was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Although Arvin was a brilliant scholar, his personal life was deeply troubled. He attempted suicide at...